Rain has washed away road markings on Rani Rashmoni Avenue
Kolkata Police is set to spend Rs 1,88,85,900 to procure 80,000 litres of specialised road paint, according to official tender documents. Bidders have been asked to submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 3,78,000, and the competitive bidding process is scheduled for completion within the month. The extensive procurement drive breaks down into three specific categories — 70,000 litres of Chlorubber white road marking paint valued at Rs 1,63,54,800; 10,000 litres of Chlorubber yellow road marking paint valued at Rs 23,01,000; 1,000 litres of Chlorubber blue road marking paint valued at Rs 2,30,100.
An annual exercise, the scale this time is larger as the rains have washed away more markings, said traffic police sources. The cost of painting has not been included in this tender. The decision to procure these specific formulations stems from the aftermath of monsoon rain, which blurred traffic lines across major arterial corridors and heavy construction zones. Motorists and bikers have frequently challenged traffic citations, arguing that invisible stop lines and lane dividers made compliance impossible.
Kolkata : Facing repeated requests from motorists over faded lane markers — and even complaints where they claim they are being fined due to invisible road boundaries — Kolkata Traffic Police has issued a tender worth nearly Rs 2 crore to overhaul road markings across the city. Kolkata Police has also launched an educational awareness drive clarifying traffic compliance rules — such as measuring stop-line violations by front-wheel position rather than front bumpers — to foster better discipline and ensure safer travel across Kolkata. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata Stay updated with the latest Kolkata news.
The cops plan to complete the key markings in the next three to four months. To resolve this, Kolkata Police will utilise highly durable materials, including thermoplastic paints, reflectorised coatings and pre-fabricated sheets alongside the colour formulations to ensure long-term, all-weather visibility. Furthermore, traffic authorities are partnering with transport engineering experts from IIT Kharagpur to redesign intersections and redraw lane markings scientifically. Experts have advised cops to evaluate six key operational parameters at critical junctions, including lane markings, intersection geometry, physical signage, signal visibility, pedestrian crossovers and bus stop locations. The colour-coded procurement strategy directly supports this scientific overhaul. White paint serves as the primary indicator for general lane discipline, broken lines and vehicle stop lines. Yellow paint is applied to indicate no-overtaking zones, continuous central dividers and restricted parking bays. Blue paint and flexible traffic cones are used to mark specialised pedestrian hold-up areas, emergency corridors and dynamic lane shifts, particularly on narrower bridges or roads lacking permanent dividers, where traffic volume fluctuates throughout the day. Download the TOI App.